


red like roses

by xlightless



Category: B.A.P
Genre: Alternate Universe - Little Red Riding Hood Fusion, Gangs, Gen, Runners, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 22:30:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6132214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xlightless/pseuds/xlightless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Deliver this to Jung Daehyun with your own hands. Make no stops and be quick about it. Good luck.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	red like roses

Yongguk sits in his apartment, staring out the window. He slumps in his chair, a cigarette hanging in between the bruised knuckles of his fingers. The streetlight outside the window flickers orange. He hears the voices of several people float up from the street. It’s still fairly early in the night.

He looks down at the carefully wrapped parcel sitting on his kitchen counter. He found it on his balcony this morning with a sloppy note written on a scrap piece of paper.

_Deliver this to Jung Daehyun with your own hands. Make no stops and be quick about it. Good luck._

Yongguk takes a long drag of the cigarette, inhaling the smoke into his lungs and feeling the way it curls inside of him. He lets out a breath, breathing out the smoke. He sighs and stands up, shoving the spent cigarette into the ashtray.

“Guess I should get going soon,” Yongguk mutters to himself. He heads into his bedroom to get his things ready.

//

Yongguk pulls his red hood above his head as he walks out of his apartment. He shoulders his messenger bag, the weight heavy from the parcel inside.

“Jesus Christ, what the fuck is this?” Yongguk mutters as he walks down the street.

Being a runner isn’t as exciting as many people slated it to be. It makes decent money for the work Yongguk puts into it, though. He doesn’t work strictly for one single gang because he’s just delivering shit back and forth, which is convenient because he doesn’t like being committed to something as big as a gang. He likes his independence, thank you very much.

He’s a bit like a freelancer. Guns for hire minus the guns.

Jung’s crew is stationed somewhere in Seoul. Yongguk’s apartment is all the way in Daejeon. In his mind, he goes through the fastest possible routes, which train will take him to Seoul in the least amount of time possible.

This is probably the part of the job that makes it less glamorous. It’s mostly sitting in a train for a couple hours. Yongguk slips on his headphones and drowns out the usual bustle with his music. Sometimes he has a book with him for especially long trips.

It’s ten at night when Yongguk boards the train. It’s quiet, filled mostly with people in business suits. He pulls a book out of his coat pocket, opening it up to the place he last left off.

//

Yongguk walks out of the station fifteen minutes after midnight. He stretches his limbs above his head with a sigh.The familiar neon signs coming from shopfronts and clubs are the first to greet him. He begins to walk, absentmindedly wondering if he should just buy an apartment in Seoul.

“Too expensive,” Yongguk mutters as he pulls his hood up. Sure, he gets paid plenty for the job, but it’s not enough for a whole apartment.

There’s a lot of people walking the streets, many of them young and out looking for a good time. Yongguk walks around them, sticking to the outskirts of traffic.

Thirty minutes pass when Yongguk realizes someone is following him. He catches a glimpse of his pursuer in a dark shop window, and he continues catching glimpses several more times. Yongguk knows better than to turn around and confront the pursuer in a crowd full of people who could easily get hurt. He ducks into an alleyway, his hand slipping into his pocket to grab his switchblade.

“I was wondering when you’d notice me.”

Yongguk turns around, gripping the switchblade. He sees the silhouette of a young man, his back lit up by the neon signs and bright streetlights from the main street. Yongguk can’t really make out the guy’s face. The guy steps into the faint glow of a bar sign. He has a wolfish grin on his face, his dark eyes narrowed dangerously. Yongguk’s eye twitches nervously.

“You a runner?” the guy asks.

Yongguk doesn’t say anything.

The guy’s grin slips slightly. He takes a step toward Yongguk. “You know, when someone asks you a question, it’s polite to reply with an answer.”

“What’s it to you?” Yongguk finally says.

The grin widens, and the guy licks his lips. Yongguk notices the guy’s eyes slowly, shamelessly, sweeping over his body. “Who do you work for?”

“No one,” Yongguk replies. His eyes dart to the side of the alley, trying to look for an opportunity to escape.

The guy lifts an immaculate eyebrow, but he doesn’t press the matter further. “What’s in the bag, then?”

“None of your business,” Yongguk growls, trying to intimidate the guy.

The guy laughs. “That’s cute. You’re like a sheep trying to be brave. Do you know who I am?”

Yongguk doesn’t answer. He feels like this guy is about to go off on an egotistical rant.

The guy comes impossibly close to Yongguk, but Yongguk doesn’t move. “I’m the wolf of the Warrior Crew. I’ve got blood on my hands, and I won’t hesitate to spill some of yours.” His hand comes up to touch the juncture between Yongguk’s neck and shoulder, warm and heavy.

Yongguk fights the urge to gag. This guy talks like he’s auditioning for the role of some cheesy Hollywood villain.

“So, when I ask you ‘what’s in the bag’, you better fucking answer me,” the guy says.

“And I said it’s none of your goddamn business,” Yongguk says with a scowl. He takes the guy’s hand off his shoulder, and shoves past him to the entrance of the alleyway.

The guy watches Yongguk walk away, a frown now visible on his face. He takes a phone out of his pocket and dials a number.

“It’s Himchan. I found a runner earlier, but I’ll take care of him,” he says calmly. He walks out of the alleyway, combing his hand through his hair.

“I don’t give a fuck about no damn runners, bastard,” comes the reply from the other end. “Let the others take care of that. You were given a job, Himchan. Do it.”

“Yes, sir,” Himchan replies. The line goes dead before Himchan can even finish, and he heaves a sigh. In a high-pitched tone, he mocks, “ ‘I don’t give a fuck about no damn runners’. Fucking asshole. I can’t believe he doesn’t appreciate how I’m trying to keep pests out of _his_ territory.”

Himchan looks down the street and finds Yongguk in his faded red hoodie walking under the light of a streetlamp, shoulders slumped. Himchan licks his lips. He usually isn’t one for sheep, but he’ll make an exception because this one is especially feisty.

Feisty is something Himchan can appreciate. Like how he can appreciate expensive whiskey, or slicing a fine line through pale flesh and watching in fascination as dark red comes out in tiny beads. It’s the smaller things in life, Himchan always said.

//

Yongguk continues to walk down the street in search of Jung’s base. He’s only been there once before, but he still has a photo in his phone of the (badly drawn) map with instructions on how to get there. It’s nothing too elaborate, but it does its job.

Jung’s base is some abandoned building in the middle of the city, but the thing about Jung’s base is that it’s embedded in a labyrinth of alleyways and streets. It’s darker in this part of downtown because most of the streetlights are blown out, but Yongguk recognizes enough of his surroundings to vaguely know where he’s going most of the time. Mostly, he’s surprised that the building hasn’t been torn down yet, but he suspects Jung Daehyun is pulling some strings to prevent that from happening.

Yongguk stops at a fork in the road. He refuses to admit that he’s probably lost. He sighs as he pulls the map up on his phone.

Someone passes by Yongguk, shoving his shoulder. Yongguk glares as the person turns to look back. Yongguk recognizes the person as someone from the Warrior Crew (nobody else is as tall as this guy), and he frowns. This is Jung’s territory. What’s someone from the Warrior Crew doing here?

“The fuck you staring at?” he asks Yongguk. He looks ready to punch a couple teeth out of Yongguk’s mouth.

Yongguk quickly averts his gaze, pretending to appear intimidated. He doesn’t want to cause any trouble that can easily be averted.

“That’s right,” the person mutters before walking away.

Yongguk stares at the man’s back. He sighs again as he looks at his phone. He better get this job done before something happens. He doesn’t want to get caught in the crossfire of a gang war.

//

“Zelo reported someone approaching. Probably a nobody, but we can’t be too careful, you know?”

Himchan turns around, knife still in hand. He wipes the blood off with a handkerchief and throws it to the side. “Who was it?”

“Some dude in a red jacket carrying a bag.”

Himchan frowns. He knows who that is. He licks his lips with a grin. “Tell Zelo to find him and bring him to me.”

“Yes, sir.”

When the door closes again, Himchan looks down at the quivering, broken body before him.

“Where was I?” Himchan asks.

Jung Daehyun’s eyes widen. He struggles against the ropes keeping him tied to the chair as Himchan takes his knife out.

//

Yongguk approaches the building slowly. He’d comment about how empty it looks, but it’s supposed to look like that. Something feels off about it, though.

Yongguk shrugs, blaming it on the early morning hours, and pushes through the door. Once he’s inside the dilapidated building, he looks around. Despite this only being the second time he’s been here, he knows how Jung’s crew works. There are supposed to be two people on watch by the door.

Yongguk pulls his knife out of his pocket, suddenly cautious. It seems he’s found himself caught in the middle of a gang war.

Something comes swinging towards Yongguk. He drops into a crouch, pulling his messenger bag close.

“Fuck,” the attacker mutters.

“Who are you?” Yongguk asks. He gets up out of his crouch and tenses himself. To fight or to run. He isn’t entirely sure yet.

“The fucker you bumped into,” the attacker says. He pulls his hood down.

Yongguk finally remembers the guy’s name. Zelo.

“What do you want with me?” Yongguk asks. Zelo wouldn’t be attacking Yongguk over a simple run-in earlier.

Zelo shrugs. “Apparently, the Wolf wants to play with his food for a bit.”

Yongguk scowls. He lifts his knife and begins to run in the opposite direction. He can’t be wasting his time here. He needs to find Daehyun.

Hopefully, he’s still alive.

“Why the fuck are you running?!” Zelo shouts from down the hall.

Yongguk throws his middle finger up behind him. He hears Zelo’s footsteps following him.

“Get back here!”

“Like I’d let that happen!” Yongguk shouts back.

There’s silence for a moment and Yongguk is tempted to look back. He suddenly hears a gun cocking.

“Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,” Yongguk mutters under his breath. He darts around a corner as a shot rings out in the halls. “Holy _shit.”_

There’s a loud sigh. “For fuck’s sake.”

Yongguk begins running again. He hops over fallen debris, ducks under collapsed ceiling panels. Where would Daehyun be? Would he have left already?

Yongguk doesn’t know how long he runs, but his lungs burn and press too close to his constricting chest. He can feel his legs beginning to give out.

Then, beneath his struggling breaths and his pounding heartbeat, he realizes Zelo isn’t following him anymore. He slows down, trying to calm himself, and looks around himself for the first time. He doesn’t know where he is.

“Surprise, motherfucker.”

Yongguk spins around. He finds Zelo towering over him with a wide grin on his face.

“Jesus C––“

Before Yongguk can finish, Zelo raises his fist and knocks Yongguk out.

//

“Um, sir.”

Himchan lets go of Daehyun’s chin and looks up. He finds Zelo standing in the doorway, hauling an unconscious Yongguk.

“Is that him?” Himchan asks. He places his knife on the desk and circles around it to walk to Zelo.

“Yeah,” Zelo replies. He drops Yongguk into a nearby chair, sighing as he rolls his shoulders. “God, he’s so _fucking_ heavy.”

Himchan narrows his eyes at Yongguk as Zelo takes a step back. He grabs onto Yongguk’s hair, pulling his head up. Yongguk looks so unguarded like this. Completely and utterly vulnerable, Himchan leans close to Yongguk. He can feel the slow, warm breaths fan out on his cheeks.

“Thanks. You can go now,” Himchan says. He drops Yongguk’s head, not bothering when it rolls forward.

Zelo rolls his eyes. “Yeah, whatever, no problem.”

When the door closes, Himchan goes back to Daehyun. He’s barely conscious, and he’s covered in bruises and blood.

“Are you gonna answer me now?” Himchan asks, picking his knife up again. “What happened to the drugs you helped smuggle into the country?”

Daehyun’s eyes move up slowly. He blinks before coughing out a feeble, “I don’t…know what you’re…talking about.”

Himchan frowns, lightly dragging the tip of his knife along Daehyun’s cheek. He relishes the quiet sound of metal scraping against the soft skin. Daehyun shivers and tries to lean away, but Himchan’s left hand keeps his head locked in place.

“I’m sorry,” Himchan says. “I don’t think I quite heard you. Do you mind repeating that?”

Daehyun spits on Himchan’s shoes. “Fuck you.”

Himchan smiles. “Okay, _fucker_ , you asked for it.” He twirls the knife in his fingers, finding a proper grip, and drives the blade deep in Daehyun’s shoulder.

“Fu––“ Daehyun’s eyes twist shut in pain as his words turn into screams. Blood oozes out of the wound as Himchan slowly pulls the blade out.

“Let me ask you again,” Himchan says, dragging each word out slowly. “What happened to the drugs you smuggled into the country?”

Daehyun just shakes his head because he’s afraid that if he opens his mouth, he’ll just scream again.

Himchan sighs. “Fine. I’ll let you bleed out the entire night.”

Yongguk regains consciousness shortly after. He realizes with surprise that he isn’t even bound to the chair he’s sitting in. He could just run out right now… Except, that’s Daehyun bleeding in front of him.

“Is the sheep finally awake?”

Yongguk grips the hand rests. He can’t find his breath. Seeing Himchan with a bloody knife in his hand and a smile on his face is completely unnerving.

As Himchan gets closer, the more terrified Yongguk gets. His hand inches for his knife, but he realizes he must have dropped it somewhere.

“What happened to the feistiness you had earlier?” Himchan asks. He reaches out for Yongguk’s chin, holding him in place. “Although… I think I like this look on you much more.”

 _I’m just a runner. How could this happen to me? I don’t even work under anybody_ , Yongguk thinks when he locks eyes with Himchan.

“Do you know what I found out about you earlier?” Himchan asks.

Yongguk doesn’t respond. He can’t find his voice.

“You’re the best runner in the city. Funny, considering I’ve never heard about you before,” Himchan says. “All the crews are after you, but you like to stay neutral, don’t you?”

Yongguk stays quiet. He doesn’t know where Himchan’s going with this.

“Do you know what happens to people who interfere with my work?” Yongguk shakes his head. Himchan smiles and places the palms of his hands on both of Yongguk’s cheeks. “I kill them myself.”

A shiver runs down Yongguk’s back and he swears the grin on Himchan’s face widens.

“But why don’t we compromise? Join the Warrior Crew and you can be so much more than a runner,” Himchan says.

And Yongguk almost says yes because something soft and kind creeps into Himchan’s eyes; his hands suddenly seem warm and comforting.

_Wait, what the fuck?_

Yongguk blinks out of his trance. He pulls his fist back and punches Himchan’s stomach.

Himchan stumbles back, eyes wide and clutching his torso. He regains his composure and scowls at Yongguk. “I’ll take that as a no.”

Yongguk stands up, bringing his fists up to his face. “You’re goddamn right, motherfucker.”

“You’ll regret this,” Himchan says in a low voice.

“Not as much as you might think,” Yongguk replies.

**Author's Note:**

> holy heck could you tell i didn't know how to end this. it was supposed to be like little red riding hood but. not.


End file.
